Pipe-wrench.



PATENTED JULY 3, 1906.

H. S. WEST. PIPE WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1906.

frzyneiw- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed January 24, 1906. Serial No- 297,666.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY S. WEST, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cookfand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piperenches, of which the following is a specification and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to quick-action pipewrenches in which there is a shank, a jaw fixed to the shank, and a aw movable upon the shank, the latter being capable of quick adjustment in adapting the wrench for use upon pipes varying in size, means being provided for securing this jaw in its adjusted position.

The object of the invention is to simplify devices of this kind, while securing great strength and efiiciency.

The invention consists in the structure hereinafter described, and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of the wrench, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the same. view on the line3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and Figs. 5 and 6 are details of the construction separated from other parts.

The shank 10 of the wrench-has its sides flattened and smooth and its top and bottom edges notched, as shown at 11 12, such notches preferably being sections of broken threads. To one end of this shank is fixed a suitable grip member 13 and to the other end a jaw 14, having the usual serrated face 15 for engaging a pipe X.

The movable jaw 16 is longitudinally apertured to fit loosely on the shank and is also transversely recessed from its under face, as shown at 17, to receive a nut 18, which runs upon the shank, the bore of this nut being provided with notches or threads 19, portions of which are cut away to form smooth sur faces to permit the nut to run freely on the shank.

The lower wall of the longitudinal aperture of the jaw 16 on the forward side of the nut 18 is notched or threaded, as shown at 20, to engage the notches or sectional threads 12 of the shank, while that portion of this wall lying back of the nut is smooth. The rearward portion of the upper wall of this longitudinal aperture may also be notched, as shown at 21 for the purpose of engaging the sectional Fig. 3 is a sectional threads 11 of the shank, while the forward portion of such wall is smooth and free to slide upon these notches.

A spring 22 is secured to the jaw 16 and bears upon the back of the shank, tending to tilt the upper end of the j aw forwardly, thereby disengaging the teeth 20 21 from the teeth of the shank. This spring may take any de sired form; but I prefer to longitudinally recess the block 24, as shown at 26, from its outer end and so shape the spring that it will lie in this recess.

The nut 18 being turned so as to bring the smooth faces of its bore into engagement with the teeth of the shank, the aw 16 may be freely moved along the shank to bring it approximately to the position necessary for engaging the wrench with the pipe upon which it is to be used. The nut is now turned to bring its teeth into engagement with the teeth of the shank, and when these several sets of teeth take the form of sections of screw-threads this action Will slightly advance the jaw, thereby securing a refinement of adjustment and securely anchoring the j aw in place. The wrench being now applied to the pipe, as X, the upper end of the jaw 16 is tilted backwardly against the resistance of the spring 22, thereby throwing its teeth 20 21 into engagement with the teeth of the shank and relieving the nut 18 of substantially all of the strain incident to work.

For convenience of manufacture I prefer to insert hardened blocks 23 24, which carry the teeth 20 21, and such blocks are the bet ter secured in place by giving them the dovetail form, as shown at 25. The block 24 serves also as a convenient means for securing in place the spring 22, though the latter may be applied to the jaw in any desired manner.

I claim as my invention- 1. A wrench comprising,in combination, a threaded shank, a aw slidable on the shank and having teeth for engaging its threads, and a nut in threaded engagement with the shank and engaging the jaw to travel with it.

2. A wrench comprising, in combination, a toothed shank, a fixed jaw, a movable jaw having teeth for engaging the shank-teeth, and a spring for tilting the movable jaw to disengage its teeth from the shank-teeth.

3. A wrench comprising, in combination, a toothed shank, a pair of jaws, one of such jaws bein movable upon the shank and having teeth or engaging the teeth of the shank,

the teeth of the jaw and shank being norjaws, one thereof being longitudinally apermally out of engagement and being brought into engagement by pressure on the face of the movable jaw.

4. A wrench comprisin in combination,a

' shank having toothed an plain sides, and a pair of jaws, one of such jaws being movable upon the shank and having teeth for engaging the teeth thereof, and a nut in engagement with the movable jaw and apertured to receive the shank, such nut-aperture having toothed and plain portions.

5. A wrench comprising, in combination, a shank having its lower face toothed, a pair of jaws, one thereof being longitudinally aperture d to fit loosely upon the shank and having the forward portion of the lower wall of its aperture toothed to enga e the teeth of the shank, and a spring for disengaging the teeth of the jaw from the teeth of the shank, whereby the teeth of the jaw are brought into engagement with the teeth of the shank by pressure on the face of the jaw.

6. A wrench comprising, in combination, a shank having its upper and lower faces toothed, a pair of aws, one thereof being longitudinally apertured to fit loosely upon the shank and having the forward portion of the lower wall and the rearward portion of the upper wall of its aperture toothed to engage the teeth of the shank, and a spring for disengaging the teeth of the jaw from the teeth of the shank.

7. A wrench comprising, in combination, a shank having its lower face toothed, a pair of tured to fit loosely upon the shank and having the forward portion of the lower wall of its aperture toothed to engage the teeth of the shank, and a spring reacting between the movable jaw and the shank for tilting the upper end of the jaw forwardly.

8. A wrench comprising, in combination, a shank having its lower face toothed, a pair of jaws, one thereof being longitudinally apertured to fit loosely upon the shank and having the forward portion of the lower wall of its aperture toothed to engage the teeth of the shank, and a nut apertured to fit upon the shank and being in engagement with the movable jaw, the aperture of such nut having toothed and smooth portions.

9. A wrench comprising, in combination, a shank having its lower face toothed, a pair of jaws, one thereof being longitudinally apertured to fit loosely upon the shank and having the forward portion of the lower wall of its aperture toothed to engage the teeth of the shank, a nut apertured to fit upon the shank and being in engagement with the movable aw, the aperture of such nut having toothed and smooth portions, and a spring fixed to the movable jaw and bearing upon the shank so as to tilt the upper end of the j aw forwardly.

HARRY S. WEST.

Witnesses:

CHARLES B. GILLsoN, E. M. KLATCHER. 

